Jeff Dorman, chief funding officer at digital asset agency Arca, has criticized Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong after the trade head appeared to deliberately set off bets on prediction platforms in the course of the firm’s third-quarter earnings name.
Key Takeaways:
- Arca’s Jeff Dorman criticized Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong for referencing prediction market bets in the course of the firm’s earnings name.
- Armstrong talked about crypto buzzwords like “Bitcoin” and “Web3” that customers had wagered would seem.
- The incident reignited debate over market integrity.
Dorman mentioned Armstrong’s feedback “mocked the trade” and undermined efforts to construct institutional belief in crypto.
Coinbase CEO Drops Bitcoin and Web3 Mentions After Monitoring Prediction Market Bets
On the finish of the decision on Thursday, Armstrong admitted he had been “monitoring the prediction market about what Coinbase will say on their subsequent earnings name.”
He then added the phrases “Bitcoin, Ethereum, Blockchain, Staking, and Web3” – phrases that customers on Polymarket and Kalshi had wagered could be talked about.
His comment successfully allowed some bettors to win.
Bloomberg reported that greater than $84,000 was staked on whether or not these key phrases could be mentioned in the course of the name.
The second shortly unfold throughout social media, sparking debate over whether or not Armstrong’s actions had been merely playful or probably manipulative.
Dorman wasn’t amused. “You want your head examined if you happen to assume it’s cute or intelligent or savvy that the CEO of the largest firm on this trade brazenly manipulated a market,” he wrote on X.
He added that such conduct damages credibility, particularly as companies like Arca work to place crypto as a severe, institutional asset class.
I’m uninterested in dumping on Clownbase, however you want your head examined if you happen to assume it’s cute or intelligent or savvy that the CEO of the largest firm on this trade brazenly manipulated a market.
It’s not enjoyable working tirelessly for 8 years making an attempt to teach institutional buyers on… https://t.co/7XCJ8tYhMb— Jeff Dorman (@jdorman81) October 31, 2025
Polymarket, one of many platforms internet hosting the bets, reacted in jest, calling Armstrong’s actions “diabolical work.”
Nonetheless, the incident underscored how calmly regulated “point out markets” might be influenced when public figures knowingly reference their outcomes.
Coinbase later clarified that its staff are barred from collaborating in prediction markets involving the corporate.
Notably, Coinbase has invested in each Polymarket and Kalshi, and Armstrong used the identical name to advertise the agency’s new “All the things Trade,” which can ultimately help prediction markets.
Responding to the backlash, Armstrong posted on X, “lol this was enjoyable – occurred spontaneously when somebody on our staff dropped a hyperlink within the chat.”
lol this was enjoyable – occurred spontaneously when somebody on our staff dropped a hyperlink within the chat https://t.co/tQiV3B9jUj
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) October 31, 2025
Coinbase Rejects Senator’s Declare of Ties to Trump’s ‘Corruption Manufacturing facility’
Coinbase has denied allegations from Senator Chris Murphy, who accused the trade of being a part of what he referred to as President Donald Trump’s “corruption manufacturing unit.”
Murphy cited Coinbase’s donations to Trump’s inauguration and a brand new White Home ballroom challenge, in addition to its political spending via Fairshake, a crypto-backed tremendous PAC that supported pro-crypto candidates.
In response, Coinbase’s Chief Coverage Officer Faryar Shirzad referred to as the claims “ridiculous,” saying the senator ignored “primary info.”
Shirzad clarified that Fairshake is a non-partisan PAC that supported each Republicans and Democrats, together with a number of of Murphy’s Senate colleagues.
He added that company donations to presidential inaugurations have been normal apply for many years and totally disclosed beneath marketing campaign finance legislation.
Addressing issues over the ballroom donation, Shirzad mentioned Coinbase’s contribution was a part of a broader company effort via the Belief for the Nationwide Mall, alongside companies akin to Apple, Google, and Ripple.
The White Home confirmed the ballroom’s $300 million value is funded privately.
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